Convertible neck-yoke and swingletree.



N0 MODEL.

PATENTED MAY 24, 1904.

.T. I. H ALL.

' CONVERTIBLE NECK YOKB AND SWINGLETRBE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 10, 1903.

n4! nomn mcllsa. WYOMING al-summon. ov v applied as a swingletree.

UNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CONVERTIBLE NECK-YOKE AND SWINGLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,045, dated May 24, 1904.

Application filed October 10, 1903. Serial No. 176,491. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS I. HALL, of Mineralwells, in the county of Palo Pinto, State of Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Convertible Neck-Yoke and Swingletree, of which the following is a complete specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple, strong, and durable article readily adaptable for use either as a swingletree or as a neckyoke,one in which wear can be taken up and repairs can be made without need of the services of a skilled mechanic, one which is easy on an animal in service, and one in which provision is made against injury by accident through the pulling off of the irons with which neck-yokes and swingletrees are usually provided.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a perspective view of my device applied as a neck-yoke to the end of a pole. Fig. II is a similar view of the same slightly modified and Fig. III is an elevation of one side of the device; and Fig. IV, a longitudinal horizontal section of the subject-matter of Fig. III, showing the thimble irons in elevation.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 in Fig. I indicates the terminal portion of the pole of a vehicle, provided, as usual, near its extremity with a neck-yoke bearing member-for example, the ring 2.

My invention consists in a cross member 3,

which is preferably made of wood, of any length and weight and of any shape and dimensions, in cross-section. It is provided with a medially-located metallic collar 4:, to which, as by a pair of bolts 5 and 6, also preferably passing through the member 3, are secured respective clevises 7 and 8. The clevises may confine a ring 9, adapted to it the tip 10 of the pole and aiford freedom and ease of movement to the yoke in use. The collar 1 is provided with a medial lug 12, through which are passed in opposite directions thimble-irons 13 and 14, provided, respectively, with terminal hooks 15 and 16, that engage at opposite ends of the yoke respective thimbles 17 and 18.

The end of each thimble-iron which passes through the lug 12 is threaded to accommodate a nut 19, by turning which the hooked end of the thimbleiron may be drawn forcibly against or released from its thimble. The thimble is provided with a transverselygrooved pillow-block 21, (see particularly Fig. IV,) which is preferably made integral with the thimbleas, for example, of wrought iron or steel. It is underneath the pillowblock that the hook of the thimble-iron preferably engages. On the outside of the pillow-block the backbone 22 of the hook is preferably set, as by a bend '23, in the thimble iron parallel with the outer face of the pillowblock, thereby serving to securely confine within the groove 24 of the pillow-block the ring 25, by or to which in service an animal is hitched to the member.

In order to adapt the neck-yoke for use as a swingletree, or vice versa, the only variation that need be made, and that is not essential, is in the members 25. they are preferably simple rings, as shown in Fig. I, and in a swingletree they are preferably rings provided with hooks 26. The ring 9 is also preferably dispensed with in a swingletree, though not necessarily, and the clevises engage directly with the hook 28 of a doubletree 29, as shown in Fig. II of the drawings.

In practice one great advantage of my device is in the security of the union of the thimbles with the cross-bar 3 through the employment of the solidly-anchored thimble irons. Another is the security of union between the members and the thimbleirons. A third is the facility with which the thimbles or other members 25, or both, may be removed through manipulation of the thimble-irons and their respective nuts, whereby not only may the parts be readily changed and re- In a neck-yoke newed, but looseness by wear may be taken up and all the parts of the mechanism be kept snug and close fitting.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a cross member provided with terminal thimbles and hitching-rings, of a medially-located collar and a pair of clevises pivotally secured to said collari substantially as and for the purpose specifiec. V

2. The combination with a cross member provided with terminal thimbles and medial collar, of hooked thimble-irons having their hooks engaging the thimbles respectively, and adjustably secured to the collar.

3. The combination with a cross member, terminal thimbles provided respectively with grooved pillow-blocks, and a medial collar, of thimble-irons adjustably securingthe thimbles and collar respectively and crossing the grooves of the respective pillow-blocks so as to confine therein respective hitching members.

4. The combination with a cross member and terminal thimbles, of a medial collar provided with an apertured lug, thimble-irons,

each provided at one end with a nut threaded thereto and at the other with a hook, the threaded end of each iron being passed through an aperture in the collar-lug, and the hook engaging a thimble.

5. The combination with a cross member, terminal thimbles provided respectively with grooved pillow-blocks, and a medially-located collar provided with an apertured lug, of thimble-irons, each provided with a threaded end and nut thereon at one end, and a hook at the other, and having its hooked end set parallel with the outer face of its pillow-block, whereby when the thimble-irons are in position as specified the backbones of the hooks, respectively, serve to confine the rings or hitching members securely within the grooves of the pillow-blocks.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

THOMAS I. HALL.

Witnesses:

FRANK HUBERT, W. C. DICKINSON. 

